Mask of Light: Dawn of Shadows
by Shadowed Bankai
Summary: Makuta casts his eyes to the stars, foreseeing the fate that Mata Nui has prescribed him. Once more, he sets events in motion to defy the prophecies. How will the island of Mata Nui stand against the greatest darkness any Toa has faced?
1. Prolouge: Schemes

**A/N: Hello all, Shadowed Bankai here. So, after trying to unblock my writer's hand with my other story, and failing miserably (Hollows and Homunculi, in case anyone cares), I've decided to upload the prologue of this Bionicle fic I've been thinking about for a while. I realize that this is extremely short. For this I apologize. It looked like a lot more written out by hand. But, hey, it's a prologue. Hopefully the actual chapters will have more substance.**

**This story will concern a few little plot-holes I poked in Mask of Light, and actually the Chronicles books to a certain degree. I'll explain one: back in Metru Nui, Makuta was always looking at the stars. And in Bionicle, they've got a prophecy for every occasion. So why did he give up this huge tactical advantage when the game moved to Mata Nui? And yes, I realize that Chronicles was written before Adventures, and by a different author. But still, it's a minor continuity issue.**

**Well, if I keep ranting, the author's note will be longer than the prologue. So, there's just one more thing to get out of the way:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bionicle. Much to my displeasure.  
**

"So..." The voice of the master of shadows echoed through the dim chamber. "The Mask of Light has been found. Again the prophecies of the Matoran oppose my will. But.."

He strode past the six pillars which held his Rahkshi hunters. In truth, the appearance of the mask was no surprise to him – merely a realization of what was always destined to come to pass. The very night before, he had cast his gaze to the night sky, reading the omens in those dark heavens. He had seen Mata Nui's proclamation of the future: his Rahkshi defeated, the seventh Toa found, his own destruction. Bah!

He stopped in front of a circle of black sand. It bore a striking resemblance to the Amaja Circle of the island above, by no coincidence. Unlike that sacred site, though, this place was used not to recite tales of the past, but to plan his schemes for the future. At his feet, half-buried, laid six crystalline stones.

He would not simply bow and accept a fated demise. No, his Rahkshi sons would pursue a different target – one that the miserable krana-kal told him of before he put an end to its existence. A power that, after centuries, was once more within his reach.

He reached down and took up a stone in his hand. Then he raised it to eye level. Marveled at its sharpness, its clarity. And finally, he channeled a small fragment of his fell power into the crystal. As energy poured into it, the depths of the stone clouded with a blood-red miasma. Makuta allowed a wicked grin to creep across his Mask of Shadows.

Once more, he would defy the stars.

And Toa would meet their ends at the hands of Toa.

**A/N: Please read and review! Let me know if this is worth continuing - although I'll probably post at least one chapter no matter how much hate mail I get.**

**-Shadowed Bankai  
**


	2. New Mysteries, Old Nightmares

**A/N: Well, this was better received than I expected. A couple of good reviews, a decent flow of hits – I guess this could be worthwhile. I haven't gotten any hate mail, even! As a note: as anyone reading my other story knows (Did any of you come here because of H+H? Is anyone gonna go read it because they like this? Questions, questions... it'd be interesting to know, though), quick updates like this are kind of a miracle for me. The difference is, I already had this chapter written, albeit by hand, when I posted the prologue. I've got the next chapter handwritten, too. It's pretty good when there's nothing to do in class. Then I just have to retype it and upload it. Hence, quick-ish updates. Usually. Hopefully.**

**Alright, let's get this terrible part out of the way: I don't own Bionicle. And, if in the next week or so, some teenager lays siege to the LEGO offices demanding rights to the series... it has nothing whatsoever to d with me. NOTHING.**

**Now, let's get the not-so-terrible part done: Many thanks to my reviewers, TasumiDreamer, Mephistophilisthemartyr, and dragontiger12, who've given nothing but positive feedback. Bravo.**

**Now I'm going to stop ranting and let you actually read the chapter, which is... actually not much longer than the prolouge. The next chapter's more than twice as long, though! I promise!**

"Talking"

"_Thoughts"_

* * *

Ta-Koro was eerily quiet. At least, so it seemed to the ears of Tahu Nuva. The village – and the Toa, and the entire island – was still in shock from the appearance of this Mask of Light. The possibility of a seventh Toa, not to mention the chance to end the Makuta's blight once and for all, was understandably a lot to process all at once.

Perhaps it was to be expected, then, that he did not immediately notice the six figures standing atop the basin in which the village rested.

Each scanned the village of fire with a critical eye. Every structure looked little different from the last. It was impossible to tell in which the Mask of Light – and its Herald – were hiding.

One of the figures turned to face the others. His dirt-black armor glinted dully in the light. "Too easy to bring the whole place crashing down on their little Matoran heads. Save us some time and trouble, if you ask me..."

Another responded, not even bothering to turn and face the speaker. "No. Not yet, at least. We can't risk being clumsy. Time enough for blind destruction later... perhaps. Besides..." He eyed the red Toa Nuva. "That's our cousin down there. If word of the mask has spread, then the rest of his brothers may have gathered as well. Perhaps we can flush out the Herald."

With those words, he raised a crimson hand and pointed into the village. His mask began to glow with a shadowy light. Far beneath them in the village, as Tahu passed by, a disturbance rippled in the shadows. The Toa of Fire heard a fain _clank_ of armor behind him – armor heavier than that of a Matoran. Spinning around, he drew his swords. "_Is it an enemy? How? So deep within the village..._"

What met Tahu's eyes was a Rahi like none he had seen before. The fact that it didn't wear one of Makuta's corrupted masks made it no less obviously hostile. A giant, armored, six-legged spider – pure red shell, blue eyes, and some sort of strange spinner mounted on its back. Two huge metallic pincers clacked menacingly from its jaw.

Recovering from his shock, Tahu stared down the creature. However, watching the Toa from his balcony high above, Turaga Vakama could only watch the match with horror. Unknowingly in unison with the shadowed figure atop the basin, the former Toa Metru uttered a word that had haunted his nightmares for many years.

"Visorak."

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's it. Just like my other stories, I can't seem to finish on anything but a cliffhanger. BUT! Since the next chapter is written, it shouldn't be long until I update. So long, and please click that pretty little button underneath the story and review.**

- Shadowed Bankai


	3. Vakama's Surprise

**A/N: Well, this update wasn't quite as fast. But thankfully it's a bigger chapter. Bad news – I don't have the chapter after this written up yet. But, my H+H readers are probably getting pissed with me for not updating, so maybe that's for the best. Response to this has been entirely good, so I'm not gonna let this story die just yet. I SHALL BE BACK WITH MORE CHAPTERS!!!**

**But enough of that. Give a round of applause to my gracious reviewers: TasumiDreamer... and that's about it for last chapter. Review, please? It inflates my ego, which is a good thing. Kind of. Sometimes. Maybe... okay, just review.**

**Now for the less fun part. Sigh... I do not, have never, and never will own Bionicle. Now shut up about it before I put on Onewa's Mask of Mind Control and make you jump off a cliff.**

"Talking"

"_Thoughts"_

* * *

Vakama descended the steps as quickly as his frail Turaga body would carry him. Even as he ran, his mind raced still faster, desperately trying to understand what it was that he was witnessing.

Sidorak and Roodaka were dead. The Toa Metru had made sure of that, with help from Keetongu and the Rahaga. The Visorak hordes had been scattered and decimated when they had left Metru Nui behind. So how did one not only make its way up to the island, but sneak into the koro unnoticed?

The elder finally reached his destination: the Ta-koro suva shrine. Vakama knelt low against the wall. He jabbed the top of his firestaff into a shallow, nearly unnoticeable indentation in the stone. Tahu had no idea the kind of monster he was facing. Thankfully, the Turaga had prepared tools for battle in the event that they had to protect the villages where the Toa could not. Vakama had forged weapons for each elder in similar designs to their Toa tools. A disk launcher, though, required a mechanical knowledge none of the former Toa Metru possessed.

That was not to say the Turaga of Fire was helpless. His armament had been delivered to him – with some help from Nuju – in the form of the energized protodermis that created the Toa Nuva. It was a source far more plentiful, and powerful, than any found in the City of Legends.

As a small compartment slid open in the wall, Vakama reached inside. He allowed himself a small, reminiscent smile at the familiar weight and feel of a Kanoka disk.

Meanwhile, with Tahu

The Toa Nuva of Fire scowled as wave after wave of flame swept over the strange Rahi, to no avail.

"_The irony_,_" _he thought, _"That so many of the local creatures that threaten our respective villages are immune to the same elements we use to guard them. If that is some sort of joke by Mata Nui, then we may be better off with his sense of humor sound asleep."  
_

Where his elemental powers failed, Tahu brought his swords to bear. Charging forward, he scored a glancing blow on the beast. Unfortunately, its shell was thick enough to mostly deflect the blade.

Suddenly, he gasped in shock and pain as one of its pincers struck him in the chest. Falling on his back, he shook his head to clear his vision. The Visorak advanced menacingly. Tahu tried to lift his arm – only to find it impossible. A glance told him that his wrist was bound to the ground by some sort of thick webbing. As he watched, the monster spat another strand, pinning his free arm. In desperation Tahu activated the Mask of Strength, but in such a compromised position he simply could not work up the force to free himself. It was all the Toa of Fire could do to keep his composure staring into those horrifying jaws.

"Turn around, Visorak scum!" called the disembodied voice of Turaga Vakama.

On instinct, it spun, recognizing the voice of the Toa Metru of Fire that had brought about the end of the glorious hordes. The only sight that met its eyes, though, was a disk flying directly at it.

As the Kanoka struck, its _freeze _power took effect. A blast of frost entombed the Visorak in its own miniature iceberg.

"That," began Vakama, "Felt good. It's been a long time since I threw a Kanoka." As he spoke, he deactivated his Kanohi Huna and faded back into view. The Turaga quickly strode to the frosted Visorak an brought his firestaff down on its head, shattering it in thousands of pieces.

Tahu blinked once. "Very clever, wise one! Thanks for the save." He concentrated on incinerating the webbing that held him to the ground. "Although," he amended as he stood, "I had the entire situation completely under control. Why wasn't I informed that Kopaka had arrived?"

"Kopaka?" Vakama asked. "He has not. Why..." His voice trailed off as his gaze fell on the shards of frozen Visorak that littered the street.

"Of course he has. He struck while you taunted the Rahi under the guise of your mask's concealment, did he not?"

The Turaga simply stated, "This was not Kopaka's power, Tahu. It was me."

Tahu stared. Then he burst out in laughter. "A fine jest, wise one!" He turned and called, "Kopaka! The joke is over, now show your sorry mask!" As an afterthought, he turned back to Vakama. "Though I have to wonder how you got him to go along with anything remotely resembling fun..."

Vakama sighed and shook his head. This was going to be very, _very _difficult to explain.

Unseen by both guardians of Ta-koro, six shadowy figures drew back from atop the basin.

"Why, in Makuta's name, are we pulling out now? That failure down there had to be saved by a Turaga! He's nothing!"

The speaker was immediately knocked out cold by the impact of a large hammer. The leader gave a slight nod.

"Good. More of you will survive the walk back without him constantly talking."

* * *

**A/N: This was... kinda not a cliffhanger. Oh well. Read and review, please!**


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